the climbers

High Ambitions in the Himalaya follows the personal
journeys of five “client” climbers
on Cho Oyu, the world's sixth highest mountain. One climber
is a survivor of Rob Hall's ill-fated Everest ’96 expedition, which was documented
in Jon Krakauer's best-selling book Into
Thin Air and depicted in the movie Everest.
Further context and color is provided by three additional
team members, including a professional expedition leader and
two sherpas.

“Client” Climbers

John Taske, 61, is a medical doctor and anesthesiologist
from Brisbane, Australia. During the 1996 Mount Everest
event, John was one
of the few who turned away from his summit attempt in time to avoid the storm that
killed nine others. In High Ambitions in the Himalaya, John has returned to the Himalayas with
a feeling of unfinished business. Bringing medical expertise
and the experience of past disaster, John speaks
articulately about the risks of climbing and the effects
of high altitude. During the
Cho Oyu expedition, he re-assesses his own life and mountaineering
priorities.

Hall Wendel, 58, is former chairman of Polaris Industries,
a manufacturer of snowmobiles and recreation vehicles, based
in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Hall is the most experienced member
of the Cho Oyu client team, having completed
the highest summits on all seven continents and several
major Himalayan peaks. Hall had been on Mount Everest
twice, summiting once.
On Cho Oyu,
he experiences a physical problem that forever redirects
his mountaineering career.

Dietmar Voss, 49, is a Project Director for Bechtel in Perth, Australia. A former marathon
runner, Dietmar had to this point only been mountaineering
in New Zealand. He is inadequately
prepared
for Cho Oyu, but he believes he can persevere through
shear
will. He soon learns that persistence alone is insufficient
for an 8000-meter mountain.

Raymond Behm, 48, is a Money Manager for a major bank
in Luxembourg. Raymond has been a life-long athlete
with experience competing in marathons,
bicycle racing in the Alps, and completing the Ironman
Triathalon in Hawaii. He came to Cho Oyu with
only one year of
mountaineering
experience.
Raymond wants to take on mountaineering as his next
competitive sport. He finds that Cho Oyu doesn’t fit his competitive
model.

Curt Dowdy, 44, is a filmmaker from Los Gatos, California.
Curt’s previous mountaineering experience included several
serious climbs in the United States and one previous
trip to a 20,000 foot Himalayan
mountain. He performed the primary photography and
is also interviewed on-camera by the other team members.
As one of two clients remaining on
the final summit attempt, Curt finds that the smallest
of problems can mushroom out of proportion in the high altitude
environment.

Expedition Leader & Guide

Dean Staples, 37, is a heli-ski and mountaineering
guide from Queenstown, New Zealand. He had previously
led a successful Cho Oyu expedition
as well as several other expeditions around the
world. He provides context to events on the mountain.

Sherpas

Ang Tsering Sherpa, 47, is the expedition camp
manager, from Khumjung, Nepal. Ang Tsering
came to Cho Oyu with over 25 years experience in Himalayan
expeditions. He had been Rob Hall’s camp manager during
the disastrous 1996 Everest expedition. Ang Tsering’s wisdom guides
this Cho Oyu team, and as a Buddhist holy man, he provides a spiritual
perspective.

Ang Dorjee (Chhuldim) Sherpa, 28, is a climbing
sherpa from Pangboche, Nepal. The most accomplished
member of the expedition, Ang Dorje had
previously stood on both Everst and Cho Oyu’s summits seven times
and had summited four other 8000-meter peaks as well. Ang
Dorje was the lead climber on
Rob Hall’s 1996 Everest expedition documented
in the book Into
Thin Air.